Baling-press



2 Sheets-Sheet l (No Model.) J' HI vHOI IMG-I-L:EEN.

BALING PRESS.

Patented May A17, 1898"l Gnome/a;

(No Model.) J.; Hl HDLMGREBN. 2V Shee'ts--Sheet 2.

BALING PRESS.

No. 604,324. Patented May 1-7, 1898.

UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS H. HOLMGREEN, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

BALING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,324, dated May 17,1898.

Application liled October 4, 1897. Serial No. 654,076. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JULIUs H. HOLMGREEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar, in the State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ealing-Presses, ofwhich .the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in baling-presses of th at classin which a platen is reciprocated back and forth in a balingchamber intowhich the material to be compressed is intermittently fed between thestrokes of the platen and the whole mass compressed by successiveimpacts.

It relates more particularly to improvements in the modulating mechanismwhereby the platen is operated and by means of which the platen is movedat a gradually-decreasing rate of speed into the baling-chamber and atthe same time with an increasing force.

The invention especially relatesto certain improvements in themechanismfor conveying power from an operative means to the plungercarrying the platen.

The invention has for its object the provision of a gear mechanismconsisting of a 'rack in the form of a compound curve and a spiral gearmeshing with said rack, constructed so that the gear and rack .willalways be in engagement, and thereby-avoid the breaking of teeth byimproper registration, whereby the plunger canhave a rigid connectionwith the platen and be reciprocated in a line parallel with the axis ofthe baling-chamber, andthe provision of a mechanism whereby the drivingmechanism can'be continuously rotated and from which power can betransmitted to the spiral gear to ro# tate the latter to a limitedextent and to au# tomatically release said gear` from the said operativemechanismintermittently to allow vthe plunger to be withdrawn from thebalingchamber.

scribed, pointed out in the appended claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawcarrying the platen at thebeginningof a stroke. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is anenlarged detail View showing a plan of the modulating-gear mechanism.

` Fig. 4E is an enlarged detail view, partly in elevation and partly insection, of the mechanism intermediate of the sweep and the plunger.Fig. 5 is a plan View of the ma chine, showing the positions of theseveral parts at the end of a stroke of the plunger. Figs. 6 and 7 aredetail sectional views showing the trip-dog.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the baling-chamber,mounted on the base A', carried by the wheels A2. As these several partsmay be of any construction suitable in the premises and well known inthe art, they need not be particularly described. In the baling-chamberis mounted the platen B, secured to the plungerpB, by which itisrreciprocated back and forth. The plunger has a rigid connection withthe platen and moves in a line parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe baling-chamber. By having the plunger moving in this way the powerAis applied directly to the platen and directly against the resistanceoffered by the material being compressed. Furthermore, as the plungermoves back and forth in the same line there is no liability of itbecoming cramped in the baling-chamber, as there would be if the plungerwere in the form of a pitman hinged to the platen and provided with anoperating mechanism that oscillated the same as the said mechanism movedthe said plunger back and forth, and also the depth of,the balingfchamber is not limited by the rigid non-oscillating plunger, as it wouldbe if a pitman having considerable oscillation were used, for in thelatter instance the pitman could be introduced so far into thebaling-chamber as not to come in contact with the sides of the latter.

IOO

A mechanism is provided for reciprocating Y the plunger back and forthin a line parallel with the axis of the baling-chamber. This mechanismoperates to move the plunger quickly, comparatively, at the beginning ofthe stroke, where the resistance ofered by the material being compressedis the least, and to gradually decrease the speed of the stroke as theplunger moves into the chamber and as the resistance increases and atthe same time operates to gradually increase the force with which theplunger is moved.

On the end of the base A farthest from the baling-chamber is secured theplate C, provided with the socket or bearing c. Mounted on the plate Cand secured thereto in any suitable manner is the frame or support c2,having a bearing c3 immediately above and concentric with the bearing orsocket c in the said plate. A shaft o4 is journaled in the 'bearing c3of the support c2 and has its reduced lower end seated or journaled inthe socket or bearing c in the plate C.

A gear D is keyed on the shaft c4intern1ediate of the plate C and thesupport c2. The formation of this gear is such that the distancesbetween its teeth and its axis gradually vary, so that the said teethform substantially a volute or spiral curve. This gear meshes with therack E, mounted on the plunger B. The said rack is formed on the edge ofthe plate, secured on the upper face of the plunger in any suitablemanner. The outline of the rack is such as to mesh with the gear D andat the same time move the plunger in a straight line. The line followedby the teeth of the krack is substantially a serpentine or compoundcurve.

A device is provided for holding the rack in mesh with the gear. Betweenthe projection c5 of the plate C and the projection c6 of the support c2is journaled the roller o7. The latter bears on the side of the plungerfarthest from the gear D, and thereby prevents the movement of theplunger away from said gear.

A mechanism is provided for partly rotating the shaft c4 and through theintervening gearing for reciprocating the plunger. On the upper end ofthe shaft c4 a yoke H is journaled. This yoke consists of the plate 7L,

bolted to the under side of the sweep l-l, the plate 7L', and theintervening casing h2. The plates and casing are held together by thebolt 71,3 passing through them. The yoke is free to rotate on the shaftc4 and is carried around the latter by the sweep H. The plate h' restson the support c2, and the plate 71 has formed in its under face asocketor bearing h4, in which is journaled or seated the upper reducedend of the shaft c4. In the casing h2 a trip-dog is mounted and isretained therein by the bolt h3. The trip-dog consists of thecylindrical portion 71.5, from which projects the trip h6 and the dog7L7 in opposite directions. The trip 71,6 extends through an opening hsin the casing and projects to a considerable distance beyond the latter.The dog 7&7 projects inwardly from the casing and in advance of theyoke. The trip-dog is held in its normal position by the 'spring 7L".

A driver K is mounted between the plates 72, and 7L of the yoke and iskeyed on the shaft c4. The length of the driver is such to allow it topass through the yoke. In a recess formed in the outer end of the drivera roller 7c is journaled. The roller is carried in such a position bythe driver as to be engaged by the dog 71,7 when the yoke is moved bythe sweep. To disengage the dog from the driver, a pin 7a2 is mounted onthe extension c6 of the support c2. Against this pin the trip 71.6strikes and throws the dog 71,7 out of engagewith the roller 7c', andthereby releases the yoke from the driver.

The operation of the device is as follows: The sweep H is moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. As the yoke H is secured tothe said sweep it is rotated on the shaft c4. In its rotation on theshaft the dog 71.7, carried by the said yoke, engages with the roller 7cand thereby moves the driver K with the yoke. As the driver K is keyedon the shaft c4, the latter is also rotated. This rotation of the shaftc4 also rotates the spiral or volute gear D, also keyed on the saidshaft. As the spiral gear is rotated through its engagement with therack E the plunger is forced into the baling-chamber. The relativearrangement of the spiral gear and the curved rack E is such that theteeth farthest from the axis of the spiral gear engage with the rackfirst. This engagement takes place when the plunger is at the beginningof its forward stroke and when the material in the baling-chamber is theleast compressed and when the resistance to the movement of the platenis also the least. The first movement of the plunger is the quickest-,comparativel y, as the gear teeth then operating move in longer arcs ofcircles having longer diameters than those nearerthe axis of the gear.It is to be observed that the plunger has less force at the beginning ofthe stroke, owing to the comparatively longer leverage of the gearteeththen in engagement. This comparatively lacking of force with which theplunger acts at the beginning of its stroke is compensated for by itscomparatively quick movement. ance at the first part of the stroke, theforward movement of the platen will not be resisted to the same extentas it will be as the plunger advances into the baling-chamber. As therotation of the spiral gear continues, the teeth, moving in arcs ofgradually-decreasing lengths in circles of gradually-lesseningdiameters, engage with the rack. Consequently the forward movement ofthe plunger gradually becomes slower, and as the leverage between thegear and the rack decreases the force with which the plunger actsgradually increases. This increase of force is met by the gradualincrease in the resistance offered by the material being compressed.

As the material oifers its least resist- IOO IIO

In this way a plunger-operating device is secured in which theresistance to the movement of the sweep is comparatively regular.

As the driver K, engaged with the yoke H by the trip-dog, moves with theyoke until the plunger reaches the end of its forward stroke, the triph6 strikes the pin k2 and disengages the dog h7 from the said driver andreleases the latter from the yoke. The plunger is forced back to itsoriginal position by the elasticity of the material being compressed andthe spring S. As the rack always engages with the spiral gear and as theshaft on which the latter is keyed is free, Vthe said gear will also bereturned to its original position and in readiness for another forwardmovement of the plunger.

Itis to be observed that the rack and spiral gearare always inengagement and always in their proper relative positions. This obviatesthe difficulty which would be involved in securing a proper registrationof the two parts if they should be separated at the end of each stroke.This preserves the teeth from being broken by improper registration.

The herein-described embodiment of the invention is the preferred one,yet it can be departed from `to a considerable extent without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. In a baling-press, the combination of a platen, a plunger connectedwith said platen, a rack mounted on said plunger, a rotatable shaft, agear fixed on said shaft and engaging with said rack, a yoke journaledat its open end on said shaft, means for rotating said yoke on saidshaft, a driver fixedon said shaft between the forks of said yokeandadapted to move clear of the yoke, a dog pivoted in the bifurcationof said yoke for enaging withsaid driver, and a trip for disengagingsaid dog from said driver.

2. ln a baling-press, the combination of a platen, a plunger connectedwith said platen, a rack mounted on said plunger, a rotatable shaft, agear fixed on said shaft and engaging with said rack, a yoke having itsforks connected by a casing journaled at its open end on said shaft,means for rotating said yoke on said shaft, a driver fixed on said shaftbetween the forks of said yoke andadapted to move clear of said casing,a dog pivoted inV said casing and adapted to engage with said driver,and a trip for disengaging saiddog from said driver.

3. In a baling-press, the combination of a platen, a plunger rigidlyconnected with said platen and moving in a line parallel with the axisof the baling-chamber, a rack mounted on said plunger and having itsteeth following a line in the form of a compound curve, a rotatableshaft, a spiral gear secured on said shaft and in continuous engagementwith said rack, a yoke journaled at its open end on said shaft, meansfor rotating said yoke on said shaft, a driver fixed on said shaft between the forks of said yoke and adapted to move clear of the yoke, adog pivoted in the nbifurcation of said yoke 'forYV engaging with onsaid plunger and having itsteet-h follow ing a line in the form of acompound curve, arotatable shaft, a spiral `gear secured on said shaftandin continuous engagement with said rack, a yoke having its forksconnected by a casing and journaled at its open end on said shaft, meansfor rotating said yoke on said shaft, a, driver fixed onsaid shaftbetween the forks ofl said yoke and adapted to move clear of saidcasing, a dog pivoted in the said casing and adapted to engage with saiddriver, and a trip for disengaging said dog from said driver.

5. In a balingpress, the combination of a platen, a plungerconnectedwith said platen,

a rack mounted on said plunger, a plate provided with a bearing, a shaftjournaled at an end in said bearing, a gear fixed on said shaft andengaging with said rack, aroller-bearing IOO and a trip for disengagingsaid dog from said roller.

-In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

J ULIUS H. HOLMGREEN; Witnesses:

H. C. SOHUMACHER, ALBERT W. RITTER.

